Expired Vaccines, Unvaccinated Children in Northland: National

Health authorities have decided not to vaccinate some children in Northland during a meningococcal epidemic, while the remaining vaccines are about to expire, the National Party said.

The government reported this week to opposition questions about its response to the spread of the deadly disease last November, particularly as to why the Pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical agency apparently did not take extra doses vaccines while the authorities rationed the measures.

The free vaccination program targeted children under four and adolescents aged 13 to 19, but not those under four.

Sarah Fitt, head of the Pharmaceutical Section, said Wednesday that the agency had accepted the offer of 20,000 vaccines from the Sanofi pharmaceutical company, but not another 30,000 from Pfizer for timing reasons.

"We did not know it would be available in two weeks," she said.

"We dealt with the ministry [of Health] and felt that the two groups that were going to be targeted, we could get enough stock [from Sanofi] cover 100% of both. "

She added that about 8,000 doses seemed about to expire due to low use during the program.

"The vaccines were there but they were not used and people, especially children who should have received them, do not have them," said national leader Simon Bridges.

"This suggests that they are literally sitting on the shelves and not being used."

But there are also questions about why the expert panel that advised the Ministry of Health was unaware of the offer of additional vaccines or if it would have changed the response.

The technical advisory group met on November 8, the day before Pfizer contacted Pfizer, never met again and about a week later, provided advice that contributed in part to the ministry's decision to determine who to vaccinate.

"It is outrageous that this information has not been passed on," said Whangarei MP Shane Reti.

The general director of health, Ashley, has finally made the wrong decision regarding "insufficient information", he said.

"Northland's parents feel betrayed, they feel shocked, some of them have sacrificed themselves to pay $ 150 for a private vaccine and now know that there was enough."

Reti pointed out that the seven-month-old diagnosed in March was a sign of the program's failure.

However, Ashley Bloomfield, Executive Director of the Ministry of Health, told the Special Committee that the amount of vaccine available was only one factor in deciding who to target.

How many doses could actually be distributed with a tight schedule and what had been done in Australia and Britain also weighed on the decision.

"There were other cases in other parts of the country, including several deaths at that time, and one of the things we were very aware of was that he would have It has been necessary to conduct a vaccination campaign elsewhere in the country, "he said. I said.

The ministry said it had not been informed of Pfizer's offer, the committee said.

Minister of Health David Clark was with him.

"He followed the advice of medical experts in this area and the campaign seems to have been very successful," Clark said to the question of whether there had been a break in information.

Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that causes meningitis.

Although meningococcal B (Menz) has long been the dominant strain in New Zealand, causing two thirds of all cases, the spread of the new MenW strain has been a growing concern since 2017. .

CHRONOLOGY:

• October 24 (2018) – Pharmac is invited to consider a vaccination program for Northland

• November 8th – Technical Advisory Group Meeting

• November 8-9 – Pharmac Contact contacts both manufacturers: 20,000 doses of Sanofi and 30,000 of Pfizer offered.

• November 14 – The technical advisory group advises the Ministry of Health, which has not yet met. Pharmac is preparing to buy from Sanofi

• November 22 – Ministry confirms response to vaccination. Pharmac buys vaccines

• November 27 – The first vaccines arrive

• December 3 – Pharmacist orders 5,000 additional doses, this time at Pfizer

• December 5 – Northland begins its program

• March 18 – 14,000 children vaccinated

• March 25 – A seven-month-old child was diagnosed. Since leaving the hospital

• May 21 – Minister learns Pfizer Pfizer offer.